if you're going to put it on your comp then get yourself a mic and if you play an instrument, the amp-to-USB connector as suggested earlier. if your just wanting to record just to listen back to it then a regular old tape recorder would work. used it many times myself. as for collaboration, there are plenty of sites that focus on trying to get musicians together like bandmix.com for example. the only other way for collaboration going where the music is. open mic nights wherever you can get in. . . busking if there's a hotspot for that where you live. . . all you have to do is take the music out of the bedroom.